STATUE OF LIBERTYTuesday, July 2 at 7 p.m.repeats: Wednesday, July 3 at 3 a.m.
This 1985 Ken Burns film chronicles the creation and history of the Statue of Liberty and what it represents to all Americans. Narrated by David McCullough, the film traces the development of the monument–from its conception, to its complicated and often controversial construction, to its final dedication–and offers interviews with a wide range of Americans to explore the meaning of the Statue of Liberty.

NATURE #2806 “Elsa’s Legacy”Wednesday, July 17 at 7 p.m.repeats: Thursday, July 18 at 3 a.m.; Friday, July 19 at 3 a.m.;
Sunday, July 21 at 2 a.m. & 6 p.m.
“Born Free” – a book and then a film that changed forever the way we think about wildlife, marked its 50th anniversary of the publication in 2010. What has happened to lions since this story? And what has happened to the people featured in the film? What has “Born Free” taught us?

NATURE #3001 “Siberian Tiger Quest”Wednesday, July 24 at 7 p.m.repeats: Thursday, July 25 at 3 a.m.; Friday, July 26 at 3 a.m.;
Sunday, July 28 at 2 a.m.
Conservation ecologist Chris Morgan embarks on a challenge that will fulfill a lifelong dream — to find and film a Siberian tiger living wild and free in Russia’s far eastern forests. To help him, Morgan turns to Korean cameraman Sooyong Park, the first individual ever to film Siberian tigers in the wild.

Hummingbirds represent one of nature’s most interesting paradoxes — they are the tiniest of birds, yet they qualify as some of the toughest and most energetic creatures on the planet. New knowledge gained from scientists currently making great breakthroughs in hummingbird biology makes this a perfect time to focus on these shimmering, flashing jewels of the natural world.

THE DAYTRIPPER: GeorgetownAirs: Thursday, June 20 at 8:30 p.m.repeats: Saturday, June 22 at 10 a.m. & Wednesday, June 26 at 5 a.m.

Chet explores Williamson County, including its historic square and the “oldest University in Texas.” He also walks on a high wire, dives in a swimming hole, and eats modern Mexican at a local establishment.

The documentary film follows the development of a single production number in the musical: the tuneful and rhythmic “It’s the Hard-Knock Life,” defiantly belted out by the orphans. From the earliest discussions among the set and costume designers, through the casting process, into choreography and vocal rehearsals, onto the stage, and finally, into performance, the program follows the young cast’s journey to Opening Night. ANNIE: It’s the Hard-Knock Life, From Script to Stage will show audiences that actors are only one part of a complex whole when it comes to a major Broadway production.

Viewers will be introduced to the work of the talented creative professionals who impact, shape, and contribute to the final production. Broadway veterans — Tony Award winning choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler (In The Heights), Tony Award winning costume designer Susan Hilferty (Wicked, Spring Awakening, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying), and set designer David Korins (Chinglish, Godspell, An Evening with Patti Lupone & Mandy Patinkin, Motown) — reveal their creative process as they work to prepare the young actors, most of them making their Broadway debuts. Additional interviewees include James Lapine (director), Martin Charnin (lyricist), Thomas Meehan (book), Charles Strouse (music), and pre-teen actors Tyrah Odoms, Emily Rosenfeld, and Jaidyn Young, among others. Of an ensemble cast recruited from all across America, the pint-sized Emily Rosenfeld – the orphan Molly – is the documentary’s standout star, leaping off the screen with her infectious enthusiasm, singing and dancing chops, and outsized 9-year-old charm.

The comprehensive accompanying Web site features quizzes, historical games, audio presentations, and video interviews with the Broadway production team, giving kids and families everywhere an opportunity to explore the world of the musical. The Web site sets a new standard for educational outreach in support of a Broadway production, and provides an innovative model for re-imagining the way children and their families relate to live theatre, whether on Broadway, on tour, or in their local high school auditorium.

Each month, KLRU chooses a program for your family to enjoy together. This month’s Family Choice program is NATURE‘s “Legendary White Stallions”focusing on the bond between the horses and their caregivers.

Airs Wednesday, May 1st at 7:00 pmrepeats: Thursday, May 2nd at 3:00 am; Friday, May 3rd at 3:00 am;
Sunday, May 5th at 2:00 am; Sunday, May 5th at 6:00 pm

This story of the world-famous Lipizzaner stallions focuses on the bond that develops between the horses and their caregivers, beginning at the moment of their birth and culminating in the perfect harmony between horse and rider demonstrated at the famous Spanish Riding School in Vienna, Austria. Their carefully choreographed movements were originally developed for the training of war horses; only the strongest and most athletic horses qualified. The Lipizzaner stallion is bred for its courage, strength and character, but the horse is also gentle, sensitive, and exceptionally responsive to praise.

Each month, KLRU chooses a program for your family to enjoy together. This month’s Family Choice program is NATURE‘s “Clash: Encounters of Bears and Wolves”documenting the clash of these two predators for the control of the food supply in Yellowstone.

What happens when two great predators come face to face in Yellowstone? The grizzly and the wolf — they couldn’t be more different. The bear is a loner, ranging far and wide in search of a rich variety of resources. The wolf hunts to survive and finds its strength in speed and teamwork. Their strategies have taken them to the very top of Yellowstone, and it’s no simple matter when they meet. In every encounter, the opposition must be measured, strengths must be tested, and risks must be carefully weighed. Each time, one of them will have a tactical advantage — but which one, and when? What emerges as each remarkable scene unfolds, is the keen awareness that runs through all of Yellowstone. Elk and eagle, coyote and raven, otter and owl, every creature must assess, decide, and act — to fight or to flee? It’s all in knowing your own strengths and limitations in the heat of the moment in Yellowstone.

Each month, KLRU chooses a program for your family to enjoy together. This month’s Family Choice program is NATURE‘s “The Loneliest Animals”where it chronicles the attempt to breed and sustain the most endangered species.

Airs Wednesday, March 20, at 7 pmrepeats: Friday, March 22, at 3 am and Sunday, March 24, at 6 pm

The loneliest animals are the most endangered species on the planet. Collected and protected by dedicated scientists, these animals represent the end of the line for their species. In many cases, intensive captive breeding programs have been launched with the aim of sustaining these animals and the hope of returning them to the wild. Viewers will be taken into high-security, high-tech labs where scientists attempt to breed new generations and into the field to discover what forces have led to the demise of entire species. Featured animals include Yangtze turtles under 24-hour surveillance; a baby Sumatran rhino; a special collection of lemurs; the Spix’s macaw, a bird declared extinct in the wild in 2000; and “Lonesome George,” a giant tortoise from the Galapagos, who is the last of his kind.

Each month, KLRU chooses a program for your family to enjoy together. This month’s Family Choice program is Nova‘s “Building Pharaohs Chariot“ where it captures over 60 years of remastered sequences in a series of three episodes.

Airs Wednesday, Feb. 6, at 8 pm

Around 3,600 years ago, reliefs in Egyptian tombs and temples depicted pharaohs and warriors proudly riding into battle on horse-drawn chariots. Some historians claim that the chariot launched a technological and strategic revolution, and was the secret weapon behind Egypt’s greatest era of conquest known as the New Kingdom. But was the Egyptian chariot really a revolutionary design? How decisive a role did it play in the bloody battles of the ancient world? In this film, a team of archaeologists, engineers, woodworkers and horse trainers join forces to build and test two highly accurate replicas of Egyptian royal chariots. They discover astonishingly advanced features, including spoked wheels, springs, shock absorbers, anti-roll bars and even a convex shaped rear mirror, leading one of them to compare the level of design to the engineering standards of 1930′s-era Buicks! By driving our pair of replicas to their limits in the desert outside Cairo, NOVA’s experts test the claim that the chariot marks a crucial turning point in ancient military history.

Each month, KLRU chooses a program for your family to enjoy together. This month’s Family Choice program is NATURE’S “Attenborough’s Life Stories” where it captures over 60 years of remastered sequences in a series of three episodes.

NATURE’S “Attenborough’s Life Stories”
This mini-series focuses on three fields that David Attenborough feels have been transformed most profoundly: filmmaking, science and the environment. It is richly illustrated with the sequences he has spent 60 years capturing and they are re-mastered for the first time in HD. With new interviews in which he revisits the content, stories and locations that were featured in his landmark series, “Attenborough’s Life Stories” is a synopsis of a unique half-century.

“Life on Camera”
Wednesday, January 23, 7pmIn “Life on Camera,” Sir David Attenborough revisits key places and events in his wildlife filmmaking career, reminisces through his old photos and reflects on memorable wildlife footage, including swimming with dolphins and catching a komodo dragon. Returning to his old haunts in Borneo, he recalls the challenges of filming on a seething pile of guano in a bat cave.

“Understanding the Natural World” Wednesday, January 30, 7pm
In “Understanding the Natural World,” Sir David Attenborough shares his memories of the scientists and the breakthroughs that helped shape his own career. He also recalls some of his more hair-raising attempts to bring new science to a television audience: standing in the shadow of an erupting volcano as lumps of hot lava crashed around him or being charged by a group of armed New Guinean tribesmen.

“Our Fragile Planet” Wednesday, February 6, 7pm
In “Our Fragile Planet,” Sir David Attenborough reflects on the dramatic impact that human beings have had on the natural world during his lifetime. He tells surprising, entertaining and deeply personal stories of the changes he has seen, the pioneering conservationists in whose footsteps he has followed, and the revolution in attitudes towards nature that has taken place around the globe.

Working with “Hummingbirds” producer Ann Prum, NATURE features another popular, beautiful and fascinating bird – the duck. The story follows a wood duck family and discovers how a male and female create a bond, migrate together across thousands of miles, nurture and protect a brood of chicks and come full circle as they head to their wintering grounds. But our stars are just one of some 150 species of ducks. They come in all shapes and sizes and abilities – some are dabblers popping in and out of the surface of a glass lake and others swim with powerful webbed feet underwater. They fly through the air on short, stubby wings, traveling in large, energy-efficient formations over thousands of miles. Some are noisy and gregarious, others shy and elusive.

Ducks are ancient creatures. True originals, ducks practice habitual lifestyles that have been essential to their evolutionary success for millions of years. There are more than 120 different species of ducks—many with delightful names like “Buffleheads,” “Shovelers,” and “Woodies” that embody their charming personalities and curious mannerisms. Despite the glorious display of their iridescent feathers, these webbed-footed waterfowl maintain a reputation for being clumsy and awkward. But in reality they are surprisingly athletic birds; some have been clocked flying almost 100 mph, allowing them to outpace eagles and hawks. Ducks have an uncanny knack for survival, and their exuberant behavior never ceases to entertain. Take to the skies with a flock of green-winged Teal. Watch Wood ducks raise a family. Learn why Goldeneyes head north in the winter. Each bird is unique, full of surprises, and will leave you eager to learn more.